CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE
ENABLING PRODUCTIVE CX IN CHALLENGING TIMES CAN AI HELP SQUARE CUSTOMER AND CONTACT CENTER NEEDS ?
BY BRENDAN READ , CONTACT CENTER PIPELINE ; Q & A WITH BARRY COOPER , NICE
ILLUSTRATION PROVIDED BY ADOBE IMAGES
Customers expect excellent products and services from companies and deservedly so . After all , it is their money . Particularly in challenging times like these with inflation and other financial worries where every dollar ( or other currency unit ) - and when every buying ( and referring ) customer - counts .
That makes it imperative for companies to offer an excellent customer experience ( CX ). But they too often have to watch their dollars ( or other currency units ). Consequently , they must maximize the returns ( ROI ) through obtaining superior , expectations-exceeding performance and productivity from their customer service budgets .
Artificial intelligence ( AI ) -driven software has shown much promise in enabling contact centers to manage both CX and costs . But is it really delivering ? And can it do more in the future ?
To gain insights into how to enable a superior CX using AI in this environment , we recently virtually interviewed Barry Cooper , President , CX Division , NICE . Here is our conversation .
WHAT ARE THE TOP CX TRENDS , WHAT ARE THEIR DRIVERS , HAVE THESE CHANGED SINCE 2023 , AND WHY ?
A . Here are three :
BARRY COOPER PRESIDENT , CX DIVISION , NICE
1 . We are seeing an increase in the number of blended agents . They manage both voice and digital interactions as digital interactions become more prevalent .
For 2024 , I predict a 75 % increase in the use of blended agents . As companies invest in AI , this allows agents to become super-agents and easily handle voice and digital interactions . AI is a vital tool that can increase productivity , eliminate mundane tasks , and elevate both the agent and customer experience .
40 CONTACT CENTER PIPELINE